DNR encourages hunters to go into the woods

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By Gary Baker

The Daily Reporter - Coldwater, MI

By Gary Baker

Posted Oct. 4, 2012 at 9:00 AM

By Gary Baker
Posted Oct. 4, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Coldwater, Mich.

sports@thedailyreporter.comBRANCH COUNTY — The deadly Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) outbreak has many people concerned on how it will impact the amount of deer available this season. Three days into archery season, reports locally are pretty positive.But recent news reports — while pointing out the concerns associated with the disease — have been misleading, with a recent story on WWMT saying that the disease is "wiping out" the deer population. While this outbreak is the largest the DNR has ever seen, the amount of cases reported (and unreported) is a drop in the bucket to the amount of deer that were harvested last year alone.EHD has taken up yards of column inches in newspapers across the state, but the public remains ill-informed on what the disease is and how they can help. While EHD has undoubtedly killed an alarming amount of deer, the idea that the deer population is being "wiped out" isn't exactly accurate."That's not true at all," said Ed Golder, DNR public information officer. "Last year, there were 250,000 deer harvested in the southern lower peninsula alone."The DNR reminds hunters to get out and hunt. While the amount of deer hunters might see will likely be fewer, the amount of deer taken by EHD is a small one, as the whitetail population in Michigan is estimated at 1.7 million. With nearly 8,500 reported cases of EHD in a 25 county area — Lapeer County is the most recent addition — there are many hunters who are understandably worried. But, the DNR is encouraging hunters to go out and hunt, as EHD cannot be transmitted to humans."We're urging people to get out and hunt," said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. "We think there are places where hunters will see fewer deer, but that means they will have to move a bit more and maybe be a bit less selective this season."Mason noted that he has seen many good deer already in the young archery season and from the early doe hunts. Mason believes that many hunters will see a perfectly normal season, but the DNR is still concerned about the EHD numbers."It's a small amount," said Mason. "Having said that, we're still concerned. We need the public to continue to make reports to the DNR."Locally, license purchases seem to be normal, according to Kip Gordon, sales associate at Gander Mountain. Gordon said, while it's hard to tell the exact numbers, people were still lining up in the days prior to the opening of the bow season and early doe season. Despite that, Gordon said some hunters will not make it into the woods this year."I have heard a few say they won't hunt this year," said Gordon.Michigan is ranked third nationally in the number of licensed hunters. Overall, hunting adds $1.3 billion to the economy and adds $153 million to the state tax revenue. Tim Hart, host of the Q-1 Buck Pole, had positive news regarding the first days of the season locally."The news I'm getting around the area is that people are finding deer in a number of places," said Hart.